Investigation Report

Water Ingress Assessment

Purpose of Inspection

The inspection was undertaken to identify the cause and extent of water ingress reported within the unit, provide a professional opinion on contributing factors, and recommend the necessary rectification works.

This investigation was conducted by Metro Remedial to determine the potential source of water ingress reported in our client’s unit, specifically in their 2nd Bedroom and adjacent living areas. As part of the assessment, a dye test was performed on the roof drainage points and the balcony drains of the unit.

Moisture readings were also taken from multiple locations from within the unit.

The scope of works included:

Conducting dye tests on the north and south roof drains and balcony drainage above.
Inspecting the internal wall and floor finishes in Bedroom 2 and the living area of the unit.
Taking moisture readings at various heights and locations to determine areas of high moisture concentration.
Photographing areas of concern including wall junctions, skirting levels, and external courtyard tiles.

Areas Inspected

The following areas were inspected:

Bedrooms
Living room
Skirting
Sliding doors
External facade
Courtyard
Internal walls
Roof
Balcony drain

Observations & Findings

Our investigation found:

High moisture readings (up to 69%) were recorded near the southwest corner of Bedroom 2.
Visual evidence of water ingress was found behind the skirting and into the internal finishes near the sliding door.
Paper towel testing confirmed active water presence in the lower wall junctions.
The dye test suggests possible drainage failure from the balcony or roof areas above.

As previously advised, a report by others had identified water ingress affecting the client’s unit. In response to this report, a dye test was conducted on 30th July 2025 to assess the roof drainage and the balcony drains of the unit directly above our client’s affected unit. The purpose of the test was to identify any linkage between upper-level drainage and the water ingress observed below.

Key Observations:

No dyed water was observed entering Unit 1102 during the testing, indicating no immediate failure of the tested roof and balcony drainage lines.
However, there was evidence of clear water ingress into Unit 1102, particularly in Bedroom 2 near the south-west corner adjacent to the sliding door.
A basic hose water test was carried out at this location, and it was found that the corner junction was compromised, allowing water to enter the internal space.
Additionally, it is important to note that the courtyard dye test could not be fully contained. As seen in the photos, dye spilled beyond the intended containment area. Despite this, dye still managed to enter the interior space, confirming a failure in the external waterproofing or junction sealing at that location.
Moisture readings confirmed elevated moisture levels in the affected areas, particularly near the base of the wall and skirting.

Cause of Water Ingress

Our investigation found the cause of the water ingress to be:

Failure of the balcony membrane, with no upturn at the skirting junctions.
Defective junctions between the terrace and façade allowing water ingress.
Absence of water stop angles at sliding doors, leading to internal moisture penetration.
Water ponding on the terrace surface due to insufficient fall toward drainage points.
Based on our inspection the courtyard lacks compliance with AS4654.2-2012 in relation to membrane installation, drainage falls and termination details.

Recommended Rectification Works

Given the extent of water ingress and the failure of the existing membrane, the involvement of waterproofing systems brings the works under the scope of the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW). As such, a registered Design Practitioner should be engaged to prepare a regulated design outlining the required rectification work.